What I've been up to...

Recently... not much. I feel like I can take a breath right now because I am done with my second quarter. I just found out that my GPA is 4.0. HUGE relief!! I took 2 classes this quarter and one was fun, fairly easy but a lot of work and the other was fun, not so easy and a TON of work! So, I'm pretty happy with that.
But, on to much more exciting topics...
Here is a shot of Molly and her best friend, Lexi. They were both one of the many kids that were a part of an honor ceremony for their GPA's. Molly's was a 3.783!! (And that is with taking a 9th grade algebra class too!) Jacob just missed it, by the way. We are still pretty proud of both of our Junior Higher's grades!! They are nothing like their parents at that age.

Let me also add that Molly has not worn a dress or skirt in YEARS! She went out and picked this dress out all on her own and paid for it with her own money. She is a pretty thrifty person as her dress cost only $15! I offered to buy her some nice shoes with a little heel on them, nope, she didn't want any heel at all and borrowed some flats from Lexi.

Here are the girls, all dressed up! GOOD JOB!!!

And here is Maya with her science project. She worked so hard on this (actually, WE worked so hard on this). She tested three different brands of batteries to find out which one lasted the longest. Next time you need batteries, trust that little bunny... he really does keep going and going and going. She did a fantastic job!

more to come, I need to go make dinner...

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testing a new signature line

here goes......

Valentines

Just in love with this year's Valentines.


Maya made these same ones last year but they were such a big hit tht she wanted to do them again this year.

Macey's are so stinking cute, they make me smile every time I look at them.

Start with this picture of a cheesy smiling girl.


lamenate the picture and add a yummy lollipop strategically placed... and there you have it! EASY!

oh yeah, you also end up with this lovely mess!
Happy Valentine's Day to all of you out there!!

same old same old

I really don't have anything new or excititng to update here. We are still plugging along, trying to at least come together at the dinner table each evening. Sometimes that means eating dinner at 9pm, like last night. I hate doing that but it happens.

Right now I am taking 'Music for Young Children' as one of my classes. We were supposed to make an instrument and I couldn't decide between a rainstick and sandpaper blocks so I made both. I've got pictrues of the process here but no real final outcome shots. Sorry, brain fart. And I don't really care for how blogger.com works because it adds the pictures in backwards order of what I put them in as, so you have to start from the bottom picture and work your way up.








4. Spray painted, usually a favorite part of any project, but I really had to get in there and around the handles so it was a little tricky. Also, lesson learned... don't use this kind of spray paint without sealing it before you use it. It will make your hands gold. After they were dry, i hot glued on the sandpaper and they were ready to go. My kids (daycare and my own) love these too.
3. screwed on the handle. We went back and countersunk the screws so the sandpaper would be flush with the block.

2. Drilled holes in the center

1. Here is the start of my sandpaper blocks.

3. See the inside is full of nails. Doesn't really look like a preschool toy does it!? this is the last photo I have of the rain stick. Just picture it filled with marbles and dried corn, capped off on the ends, wrapped in colorful wrapping paper, and then covered with contact paper. Kids love it!

2. Strategically placed drill holes with nails in them. Maya drilled almost all of these holes.

1. Rainstick started with a piece of PVC pipe.

That's all for now.

We are going to a wedding today and I can tell you that we did NOT shop off of their registry. I tried to, I usually do, but they wanted $120 rice cookers and $19 pizza cutters and $700 home theater systems.

Not in my budget!

So I went to Target and bought these 3 Pyrex dishes (with 3 lids!!!) for about $16. Then I went to Joann's looking for etching cream (they didn't have any), went to Michaels for the etching cream (they sold me etching MEDIUM... there is a Huge difference). Drove home and tried the etching medium. This is when I found out about that Huge difference thing... it didn't work. I searched my craft supply and low and behold... I own etching cream! Still in the original packaging too, never been opened.

I put some letter stickers on there and taped it off with some painters tape and put the etching cream on. Waited all of 60 seconds (now that is my kind of craft!) and washed it off. Now when they go to a pot luck, they'll never lose their dish!

I am so IN LOVE with the outcome! Don't be surprised if you get some etched glass something-or-other for your next birthday or holiday!

And then to top it off, I used the same stickers to put the happy couple's initials on the bag. Now I just need to get some bubble wrap so they won't break before they get them!

My new favorite site

I'm a bit of a blog-hopper in my 'spare' time. This is usually around 11pm, while I am in bed and just trying to wind down from another crazy day. I love to check out all of the new, cute, crafty ideas other people have.

I was so excited to find http://www.knockoffwood.blogspot.com/

I've looked at those Pottery Barn catalogs with drool and an empty wallet. I think that even if I could afford the furniture in the Pottery Barn catalogs, I wouldn't purchase anything in it.

Like this locker style piece of furniture. I'd really love to have 4 of these in my entryway. I know, first I need an entryway, but those are just details. Normally, this simple piece is $639, but right now it's on sale for $599. Hold on while I do the math... $600 (rounding up) plus 4 equals $2400. Ya, plus shipping, tax and that ever so pesky 'handling', I'm sure I'm looking a lot closer to $3000.

Well, Ana, over at www.knockoffwood.blogspot.com has the complete plans for a ton of furniture products from companies like Pottery Barn. In fact, she has this locker style one too! All plans, all measurements, all for you for FREE! She even suggests you going to Home Depot and having them make ALL of the cuts for you. That's right, no table saw needed!

Now, I only need to pick an easy one to start with and find some more of that spare time I mentioned earlier.

back to reality

I was really ready to come home, even go back to work, but I am so glad today is Friday.

School started back up for me while I was gone so I missed a full week of classes. Not smart. I'm pretty much up to date in one of my classes but the other one, I'm not.

To top it off, yesterday I came down with a pretty nasty cold. It's mostly in my throat and it is painful!

More very bad news: my Flip video camera broke!!! In New York too, so I couldn't take any videos while I was there. Not happy about that one. It's just in the battery compartment. the little part that one end of the battery sits on is missing. I don't even remember it falling or breaking off.

AND.... my printer is broken too!!! I use a printer at least 4 times a week for work and school. It keeps telling me I have a printer jam and I know I don't. That, along with the funny noise its making, means I am in trouble!!

Ok, I'm done with the pity part...

On a much happier note: Jacob started piano lessons last night. He has already taught himself how to play O Christmas Tree, Silent Night and other Christmas songs. (I'd show it to you but my video camera is broken!)

Maya and Jason are busy with basketball. Jason is coaching Maya's team this year again and let me tell you... the difference in ability between 4th graders and 5th graders is amazing. There are a lot of talented girls on this team!

Molly will be starting soccer very soon. The last time she played, she was 3 years old, so this will be a new experience for her. I'm so excited for her to play but not too excited about being out in the cold and rain again!!! I have class every Saturday so I do hope that I will get to her games.

Macey is in between sports right now. Basketball is over and Bethel Rec soccer sign ups are right now so we just have to wait for practices to start.

So we're all pretty busy, but its a good busy. Like I said earlier, I'm happy to be home!